Nine Months to Go to Cool Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Reactors

On Sunday Tepco unveiled its roadmap to control the nuclear crisis as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton briefly visited Tokyo to pledge America's "steadfast support" for Japan's reconstruction. The operator of Japan's crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has said it expects to bring the crisis under control by the end of the year.

Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) aims to reduce radiation leaks in three months and to cool the reactors within nine months. The utility said it also plans to cover the reactor building, which was hit by a huge quake and tsunami on 11 March.

On the other hand, Radiation levels in the sea near reactor 2 rose to 6,500 times the legal limit on Friday, up from 1,100 times a day earlier, Tepco has said, raising fears of fresh radiation leaks.

In response to local government's order to provide specific timetable to end the crisis, Tepco said they would need up to nine months to bring the power plant to ''cold shutdown''. They said the plan would allow the tens of thousands of families evacuated from the area around the facility to return home as soon as possible. Tepco said after cold shutdown it would focus on encasing the reactor buildings, cleaning up contaminated soil and removing nuclear fuel.